"1776" on TCM today, 3:00 PM Eastern

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Robert K S
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"1776" on TCM today, 3:00 PM Eastern

Post by Robert K S »

I know we've talked quite a bit about this film here and/or on the old Sony board... for those who haven't seen it, it's probably good for getting about 5-10 correct responses on Jeopardy! a year... plus it's just a fun musical and a fine performance by the great William Daniels as John Adams.
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Re: "1776" on TCM today, 3:00 PM Eastern

Post by Spaceman Spiff »

Robert K S wrote:I know we've talked quite a bit about this film here and/or on the old Sony board... for those who haven't seen it, it's probably good for getting about 5-10 correct responses on Jeopardy! a year... plus it's just a fun musical and a fine performance by the great William Daniels as John Adams.
I second that. The cast (many of who also did the roles on Broadway) is interesting for their other role - Daniels, of course, had many (including the voice of a high-tech car); TJ became a White Shadow; Howard da Silva made a living playing Franklin around the Bicentennial; Martha Jefferson, played by a very young Blythe Danner.

And my personal faves, three Dark Shadows veterans. The most interesting of those was Virginia Vestoff (Abigail Adams) -- some days she'd tape the soap during the day, then do the musical in the evenings.
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Re: "1776" on TCM today, 3:00 PM Eastern

Post by nlw44 »

I agree it's an enjoyable way to get some early American history lessons - amazingly accurate in many ways, except for the bursting into song all the time, of course. But it is also one of my favorite movies - so witty and fun, as well as thought-provoking about the issues and problems getting any agreement at all among the 13 colonies. And John Cullum is great playing a character a very far cry from his Northern Exposure or The Middle personae. Plus Howard Da Silva as the perfect Ben Franklin - wonderful.
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Re: "1776" on TCM today, 3:00 PM Eastern

Post by Linear Gnome »

I don't have TCM, but I do have a DVD of the Director's Cut (the one with Cool, Cool Considerate Men). I've done pit orchestras for more than 20 musicals, but never that one--I hope to, some day.
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Re: "1776" on TCM today, 3:00 PM Eastern

Post by nlw44 »

Linear Gnome wrote:I don't have TCM, but I do have a DVD of the Director's Cut (the one with Cool, Cool Considerate Men). I've done pit orchestras for more than 20 musicals, but never that one--I hope to, some day.
The last few times it's been on TCM, they've shown the version with that song. When I originally saw it on TV, oh so many years ago, that was not included but hopefully now it's more often to be seen with than without.
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O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"
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Re: "1776" on TCM today, 3:00 PM Eastern

Post by Sherm »

nlw44 wrote:I agree it's an enjoyable way to get some early American history lessons - amazingly accurate in many ways, except for the bursting into song all the time, of course. But it is also one of my favorite movies - so witty and fun, as well as thought-provoking about the issues and problems getting any agreement at all among the 13 colonies. And John Cullum is great playing a character a very far cry from his Northern Exposure or The Middle personae. Plus Howard Da Silva as the perfect Ben Franklin - wonderful.
Let me start by saying great movie/musical. Certainly the only musical I have seen several times.

Having said that, a couple of years ago after watching 1776, I thought about how long Caesar Rodney would have lived after signing the Declaration of Independence. Based on the movie, a couple of months tops, as his cancer appeared to be well on the way to killing him. Shocked to find that lived another eight years. In fact, the reason he had to ride all night to get to the vote, was that he was in Delaware helping to put down some form of an uprising, since he was some form of a general in the Delaware militia. It had nothing to do with being at home resting. Further, he fought with the militia throughout the revolution, and while he did die due to a cancer on his face, which disfigured him for many years. It really didn't effect what he was capable of doing until after the revolutionary war, a good 5 years after July, 1776.

Fact 1. Anything out of Hollywood, at best, is based on a true story, but they will not let facts get in the way of a good story that may not be very true.

Fact 2. The back of the Delaware quarter, in the 50 states quarter program is a man riding a horse. That man is Caesar Rodney.
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Re: "1776" on TCM today, 3:00 PM Eastern

Post by Robert K S »

That's hardly the worst of the liberties... Mrs. Jefferson's booty call? "Right" as a political label prior to the French Revolution? Dickinson's abrupt departure? Combining the vote for independence with the vote on the language of the Declaration? In a way, though, the departures add to the fun. The informed enjoyer can turn to the less enlightened of his company and interrupt the songs with "What really happened was..." before launching into a long and annoying history lesson. "I'm obnoxious and disliked..." :D
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Re: "1776" on TCM today, 3:00 PM Eastern

Post by Bamaman »

That would be a great idea for a show. Put on a historical movie and whenever they get something wrong, stop the tape and have someone come on and say what really happened.
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Re: "1776" on TCM today, 3:00 PM Eastern

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Bamaman wrote:That would be a great idea for a show. Put on a historical movie and whenever they get something wrong, stop the tape and have someone come on and say what really happened.
Now where's that 'like' button again?

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Re: "1776" on TCM today, 3:00 PM Eastern

Post by Volante »

bpmod wrote:
Bamaman wrote:That would be a great idea for a show. Put on a historical movie and whenever they get something wrong, stop the tape and have someone come on and say what really happened.
Now where's that 'like' button again?

Brian
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Re: "1776" on TCM today, 3:00 PM Eastern

Post by KazooJ!fan »

I first saw this movie way back in 1975 when I was in 4th grade-it was a class field trip. I remember liking it a lot.
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Re: "1776" on TCM today, 3:00 PM Eastern

Post by immaf »

Robert K S wrote:That's hardly the worst of the liberties... Mrs. Jefferson's booty call? "Right" as a political label prior to the French Revolution? Dickinson's abrupt departure? Combining the vote for independence with the vote on the language of the Declaration? In a way, though, the departures add to the fun. The informed enjoyer can turn to the less enlightened of his company and interrupt the songs with "What really happened was..." before launching into a long and annoying history lesson. "I'm obnoxious and disliked..." :D
Another liberty. Waltzing would not be known in 1776. It didn't come into vogue until the early 1800s, and was initially considered scandalous. And yes, I turned to my mother and informed her of that fact as we were watching this afternoon.
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Re: "1776" on TCM today, 3:00 PM Eastern

Post by Spaceman Spiff »

KazooJ!fan wrote:I first saw this movie way back in 1975 when I was in 4th grade-it was a class field trip. I remember liking it a lot.
Funny, I saw it about that time, shown in my high school in Alabama. Funny, I don't rememaber "Molasses to Rum" in that version.
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Re: "1776" on TCM today, 3:00 PM Eastern

Post by Peachbox »

Another noted character actor from the movie is William Duell, who played McNair, the congressional custodian. He was also in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and later the TV show "Police Squad!"

And John and Abigail's salt peter/pins issue? That was actually something they discussed in their letters to each other (and is noted in David McCullough's biography of John Adams).
Here's a passage from a (1790?) letter John Adams sent to Dr. Benjamin Rush that "1776" fans will recognize:
"The History of our Revolution will be one continued lye [sic] from one end to the other. The essence of the whole will be that Dr. Franklin's electric rod smote the earth and out sprang General Washington. Then Franklin electrified him... and thence forward those two conducted all the Policy, Negotiations, Legislations, and War."
Though historical liberties were taken (the independence vote didn't really come down to James Wilson's "yea" decision, etc.), it seems the filmmakers did do a bit of research.
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